How to export vertex animation (alembic) into glTF format (shape keys) in blender

How to export vertex animation (alembic) into glTF format (shape keys) in blender
Steps in the pinned comment
The 3d model I used in the video: animated looping campfire in blender
www.cgtrader.c...
#blender #AR #VR #metaverse #glTF #alembic #3d #3dformat #export #campfire #assets #blender_tips #vertex #animation #shape_keys #1minutetutorial #mdd

[@IZ.3d]

Here are the steps
- enable the .mdd preinstalled addon in preferences
- Export the animation in .mdd format
- delete the animation data and import the .mdd file into the object you want to export
- export into .glTF
For some reason in blender versions 3 above 3.1 when exporting to glTF the shape keys will not be animated. so I recommend that you use version 3.1
... Version 4.0 and 4.1 should also work fine
If you have an animation that can't be exported and want me to export it for you, contact me on CGTrader
www.cgtrader.com/iz-mdverz
if you want to support me, you can become a gumroad member
izmdverz.gumroad.com/l/membership
To get the 3d model I used, the link is in the description

[@dracul222]

Hi im having the same issues with 3.2
The shape keys r not animating in gltf format how can i fix it ?

[@IZ.3d]

use version 3.1 when exporting
or keyframe the shapekeys manually

[@dracul222]

Thanks mam your a life saver

[@TickTickBoom358]

Actually, I am using Blender 3.4.1 and when exporting to glTF it works, sadly some materials look that disappear, or maybe I am skiping some step

[@IronEducation]

THANK YOU! I've been trying to figure this out for at least 2-3 days.

[@IZ.3d]

Glad I could help! and you can subscribe for more glTF tips and hacks

[@IronEducation]

​@@IZ.3d subscribed c:

[@bibashkhadka8353]

Thanks a lot, i literally looked for this solution everywhere and found this video really solved my problem.

[@cubeWorld555]

Incroyable !!! Merci, ça fait 3j non stop que je suis bloqué, merci infiniment

[@somebody251]

Thank you so much!

[@claXRoom]

Awesome!

[@lewixkratos]

Thanks for this man. Really Helped

[@saraorfali3959]

Thank you you saved my life

[@wmka]

Nice. Thanks for this.

[@conor-vv8pi]

Thank you so much! Any idea how make this work for an fbx export?

[@IZ.3d]

Unfortunately fbx format doesn't support vertex animations or shapekeys. So you can't export it directly to fbx...
But if it's a relatively simple animation, then you can recreate it with armatures and export it to fbx that way

[@BleachedBroccoli]

Thank you very much sir!

[@danielpuerto2706]

me salvaste la vida men muchas gracias

[@antohardns]

just save my day

[@MickRenders]

Amazing.

[@rinatsahbiev1395]

Thank you!

[@thelionlaw]

so we can use to create fracture vertex animation and then import it to unreal engine?

[@IZ.3d]

Yes, but you just have to keep in mind that the vertex count of the animation has to be constant for shapekeys to work otherwise you will get an error...
there are many ways to create it using things like geometry nodes and it depends on the animation you are creating itself

[@JudithTarresb]

Hi! I have just seen your tutorial and it has saved my life! Thank you! But I have found that when I import the mdd into my object and delete the alembic addon, it looses the Uvs so the textures are not working. I tried instead of deleting the addon, activating only Uvs but it does not work and I don't understand why. Do you have any idea on how to fix it? Thank you so much again!!!!!!!

[@JudithTarresb]

sorry instead of addon I meant modifier jajaja

[@IZ.3d]

I am glad that this tutorial helped you 😁. The video didn't say delete the modifier. You should apply the modifier which will keep the UVs of the exported abc file.
If you made changes to the UV map after you imported the abc file and you want to keep the new UVs, you can just duplicate the object before applying the modifier, apply the modifier then select the main object then the duplicated one (with the modifier not applied) and Ctrl L and copy UV maps

[@JudithTarresb]

@@IZ.3d thank you so much!!!!

[@gwak724]

perfect

[@-1o1-]

Is it possible to output a meshed animation of smoke with varying number of vertices in glb, and if so, how?

[@IZ.3d]

The short answer is no,
But, you can work around it if you make a mesh with a constant number of vertices and recreate the animation with shapekeys by manually moving vertices or using shrinkwrap and export it to glb that way

[@liweilin6649]

HI, really appreciate this tutorial!! but why after i export to glb file, the glb file has two animation? the first layer animation doesn't have any animation just stop there, but the second animation works perfect~~ Any suggestion? thx for reply~~~

[@IZ.3d]

I am glad you found the tutorial useful.
I don't really know about this issue, maybe it's something with the 3d software or the model you used.
This method is more like a work around to convert abc animation to glb as there is no official way to do it as far as I know.

[@clifnyalex2996]

GOD

[@jaytmez]

Hey , When I import back .mdd on that object, it changes the orientation , Do you have any idea to fix this ?

[@IZ.3d]

Make sure you apply the transforms to the object before exporting to mdd (select the object_Control-A_All transforms)

[@jaytmez]

@@IZ.3d sorry updating this late, it workred. ctrl+A to apply transform before simulating worked.

[@kex0]

Now how would one do that if the object is "Curve object". As far as I know mdd only supports mesh.

[@IZ.3d]

you can export the curve object into mesh to .abc there is a check box in the export settings but it exports just vertices that are not connected
you can turn the curve into a mesh with a profile in geometry nodes and it would be exported fine to a mesh in .abc then you can import it and follow the steps in the video

[@kex0]

​@@IZ.3d Oh god, believe it or not, I've been trying to solve this problem for almost 2 years. This isn't a perfect solution but it helps me a lot! Thank you very much

[@IZ.3d]

I am so glad you found it useful.
And if I figure out something more convenient I will surely share it

[@ukisatriana6018]

hi bro, can i ask something, how to export vertex animation to lumion from blender thx

[@IZ.3d]

I don't use lumion. but generally you can export vertex animation from blender to .abc, .usdc, .mdd, and .glTF formats

[@welsonfy5246]

Thanks a lot. Why when I export in .mdd I have an error message during the export?

[@IZ.3d]

maybe the number of vertices changes throughout the animation. It wouldn't work in that case

[@welsonfy5246]

@@IZ.3d Ok thanks, isn't there another possibility to export in GLTF without going through the .mdd function?

[@IZ.3d]

I don't really know another way

[@welsonfy5246]

@@IZ.3d Ok no problemo, thanks you

[@wynstervinz2933]

Error export .mdd, how is it possible?

[@IZ.3d]

what are you trying to export?
the number of vertices has to be constant to export to mdd